230 MR. CURTIS ON HYPOCEPHALUS, A GENUS OF COLEOPTERA. 



eyes are dissimilar, the tarsi tetramerous* and of a different character, being all equally 

 long and dilated. Another genus, Cyrtognathus^ , is apt to confound our notions of 

 analogy and affinity, but in truth it bears only a resemblance to Hypocephalus, principally 

 owing to the elongated head, and the mandibles being bent down like a beak, with lateral 

 protuberances, and well-developed palpi J. For the eyes are very large, and reniform, 

 being deeply emarginate, approximating, indeed almost meeting on the crown : the head 

 is not dilated at the base, having no angles, far less any lobes : the antennae are very long 

 and curling, more than half the length of the insect, and 12-jointed, the joints compressed, 

 completely serrated, the third joint very long : the thorax is broader than long, the sides 

 angulated, with a large conical porrected spine at the base of the antepectus, between 

 the anterior coxae ; the postpectus not unusually large ; the coxae approximating in pairs : 

 the scutellum typical and triangular. Elytra more than twice, in some specimens nearly 

 thrice, as long as the head and thorax united. Wings ample. Abdomen as large as the 

 postpectus. Legs very long, stoutish, compressed : thighs stout, but not incrassated : 

 tibiae long, especially the hinder, straight, not dilated nor lobed, but the first pair are 

 spiny ; all with a pair of acute spurs at the apex, longest in the hinder pair : tarsi tetra- 

 merous, nearly of equal length, the two anterior pair depressed, dilated, and very pilose 

 beneath, 3rd joint bilobed, terminal joint long and clavate, with a minute spurious joint 

 forming the base ; the joints in the hinder pair with their angles spiny, and two series of 

 hair beneath : claws long, curved and sharp. It is an inhabitant of Mongolia, consider- 

 ably to the north of the Equator. 



It would be unreasonable to deny that there is a very considerable analogy existing 

 between Hypocephalus and Cyrtognathus, but if we look to the antennae having 12, instead 

 of 11, joints, to their great length and relative proportions, as well as to the situation, 

 magnitude, and form of the eyes, the size and figure of the thorax, the scutel, sternum 

 and elytra ; having wings for flight ; to the long sprawling legs, neither robust nor truly 

 5-jointed, to the long simple tibiae, the dilated and bilobed and spongiose tarsi, it is im- 

 possible to allow that there is any affinity. Cyrtognathus is a Longicom, Hypocephalus 

 is not§. 



I must no longer defer giving an ample, and I trust faithful, description of 



Hypocephalus, Desmarest||. Tab. XXV. fig. 1. 



Head elongated (f. 2 & 3), with 2 large vertical conical lobes on each side of the mandibles (l), the crown 

 flattened and terminating abruptly at the base, which is dilated, the angles very much elongated and 



* The minute joint at the base of the terminal joint, if accepted, renders it pseudo-pentamerous. 



t Zool. Journ. vol. ii. pi. 19. f. 4. Borysthenes rostratus, Vig. 



% I am under the necessity of regretting my inability to compare the trophi satisfactorily for want of specimens to 

 dissect, which prevents me from doing full justice to the subject. I can however see enough to convince me that the 

 labrum, mentum, and proportions of the palpi are very different in those two genera. 



§ As Cyrtognathus was the insect exhibited by Mr. White to confirm the supposed affinity of Hypocephalus with 

 the Cerambycidce, it was necessary to enter fully upon the investigation of that insect. Since this paper was read 

 he has adduced another insect, named Baladeva Walkeri, in support of his views. 



|| Guer. Mag. Zool. Class IX. pi. 24, and Westw. Arcana Entomologica, vol. i. p. 35, pi. 10 and p. 111. 



